Prosecutors bring 24 charges in Upper Lapland reindeer case

Prosecutors have brought charges over 24 alleged offences in a large case involving reindeer herding in Upper Lapland, Yle reports. The allegations include aggravated money laundering, fraud, firearms offences, illegal bear hunting and the killing of a protected golden eagle.

The alleged offences took place mainly in the Näätämö, Vätsäri, Muddusjärvi and Paistunturi reindeer herding districts.

In the money-laundering allegations, reindeer allegedly stolen from the complainants were transferred into the herds of the accused and people close to them. Their origins were allegedly concealed by marking the animals with the accused’s or their associates’ ownership marks. Eight people face charges of aggravated money laundering.

Fraud charges relate to applications for compensation for predator damage and reindeer losses that allegedly contained false information. Nine people face fraud charges, some of them also accused of aggravated money laundering. Two people are charged with firearms offences; one of them also faces charges of aggravated money laundering and aggravated fraud.

Four aggravated hunting offences concern alleged unauthorised bear hunting. Some of those accused also face charges of aggravated money laundering and aggravated fraud. One person is additionally charged with a nature conservation offence involving the killing of a protected golden eagle.

Authorities have also decided not to bring charges in several parts of the case and have issued one decision to limit the pre-trial investigation. The investigation covered events over about 10 years. Two people arrested in June 2025 on suspicion of aggravated money laundering, one also suspected of aggravated theft, were later released.

The National Bureau of Investigation said in 2025 that it had not investigated a comparable property crime case in the north for decades. The date of the main hearing at the district court has not been set.